Brendon Leitch will contest the forthcoming Asian Le Mans Series with Earl Bamber Motorsport, which could lead to a 24 Hours of Le Mans start in 2025.
The 2024/25 Asian Le Mans Series comprises three events across Sepang, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi, each featuring a pair of four-hour races.
Leitch will join three-time FIA World Endurance Championship winner Marco Sorensen of Denmark and Indonesian businessman Anderson Tanoto in an Aston Martin Vantage GT3.
The Asian Le Mans Series is headlined by the LMP2 and LMP3 class for prototypes and GT for FIA GT3 homologated vehicles.
The respective LMP2 and GT class winners in the Asian Le Mans Series are given automatic entry into the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Leitch enjoyed a successful first test with Earl Bamber Motorsport at Sepang and there’s a quiet air of confidence that the team could do well and book themselves a ticket to France.
“I’m super excited to be back competing in the Asian Le Mans Series and super grateful for Earl’s support,” he said.
“Every motorsport fan in New Zealand knows Earl’s history with Le Mans and I know he would love to have a team of his own compete in the race. Next year will mark 10 years since he won on debut with Porsche, so it would be super special if we can make it happen.
“I know how hard it is to win the series. Last season showed you have to win but also be consistently at the front end of the field. Marco’s pedigree speaks for itself with so much sports car experience at the very highest level and with Anderson we have a strong line-up.”
It’s the third time Leitch has competed in the Asian Le Mans Series after his 2023 and 2023/24 campaigns with Leipert Motorsport. He was a podium finisher in both seasons.
The upcoming program will be the first time Leitch has raced the current spec Aston Martin, but the Kiwi has no concerns about getting up to speed.
“I’ve driven a lot of GT3 cars – including the Audi, Porsche, and Lamborghini – but I’ve not raced a turbocharged car before. It sounds and feels completely different to any of the naturally-aspirated cars but I’m comfortable already,” Leitch explained.
“Funnily enough, it’s a bit of a full circle moment for me. My first GT3 race was in an Aston Martin almost exactly 10 years ago. That was in a DBRS9 with 007 on the doors, which was pretty cool. That car has a V12 in it that screamed, whereas this car has a turbocharged V8.”
The opportunity to compete in the Asian Le Mans Series comes fresh off of winning the Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Finals in the Pro-Am class with Anthony McIntosh in Jerez.
Leitch is one of five Kiwis in the field for Asian Le Mans. Prime Speed Sport’s new Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo2 sees Jono Lester and French-Kiwi Mana Malmezac joined by Australian Nick Foster, while Daniel Gaunt joins Tsunami RT in a Porsche, and Chris Van der Drift will be in a Ferrari 296 GT3 with Absolut Racing.
The two Asian Le Mans Series 4 Hours of Sepang races will be Leitch’s last race of 2024 before resuming his campaign in the new year.
Header Image: Supplied
